Jerusalem

Jerusalem

Jerusalem

Back in 2009 and early 2010 there were two shows that were gaining the attention of critics and audiences all over London and when the Laurence Olivier Awards rolled around all eyes were on them. Then “Jerusalem” and “Enron” both lost out to “The Mountaintop” for Best New Play and there was great surprise, but this has not detracted from their acclaimed appearances in the capital. After all, Mark Rylance from “Jerusalem” still picked up the Best Actor prize at the ceremony and the show earned great success in New York as well, whilst the nominations it earned ahead of the ceremony was a testament to the high quality of the material.

And now, with Rylance and Mackenzie Crook still in tow, “Jerusalem” returns to the West End for a new run at the Apollo Theatre, where audiences will once again have the opportunity to pick up theatre tickets and witness the acclaimed performances and the acclaimed script from Jez Butterworth.

In “Jerusalem” the focus is on the character of Johnny Byron, a waster in a local community who is wanted by various people around town. Firstly there’s the police who have likened him to a modern day Pied Piper and as such want him behind bars; then there’s the local council that want nothing more than to evict him from his house; added to this are his friends that wish to fill him with booze and drugs and Troy Whitworth who wants to give him a good beating. But it’s also St George’s Day and his kids just want him to take them to the local fair.

Both Mark Rylance and Mackenzie Crook are acclaimed actors, with the former known for work across the capital and as the Artistic Director of Shakespeare’s Globe until 2005, whilst the latter is known as Gareth in the television show “The Office”. Rylance has accumulated a wealth of credits over the years, from “Life x 3” at the Donmar Warehouse to “Boeing Boeing” at the Comedy Theatre and “Much Ado About Nothing” at the Queen’s Theatre. As such he is regularly in high demand and is one of the most talked-about parts of the show.

“Jerusalem” returns to the West End’s Apollo Theatre with a run beginning on Saturday 8th October 2011 and continuing to Saturday 14th January 2012.